第52章 Charles Osmond Speaks His Mind (4)

I asked you if you would teach me Greek, and I mean to try to study the character of Christ; but, quite to speak the truth, I don't really want to do it.I only do it because I see I have not been fair.""You do it for the sake of being a truth-seeker, the best possible reason.""I thought you would think I was going to do it because I hoped to get something.I thought one of your strong points was that people must come in a state of need and expecting to be satisfied.Idon't expect anything.I am only doing it for the sake of honesty and thoroughness.I don't expect any good at all.""Is it likely that you can expect when you know so little what is there? What can you bring better than an hones mind to the search?

Erica, if I hadn't known that you were absolutely sincere, I should not have dared to give you the pain I gave you yesterday.It was my trust in your perfect sincerity which brought you that strong accusation.Even then it was a sore piece of work.""Did you mind it a little," exclaimed Erica.But directly she had spoken, she felt that the question was absurd, for she saw a look in Charles Osmond's eyes that made the word "little" a mockery.

"What makes that man so loving?" she thought to herself."He reminded me almost of father, yet I am no child of his.I am opposed to all that he teaches.I have spoken my mind out to him in a way which must sometimes have pained him.Yet he cares for me so much that it pained him exceedingly to give me pain yesterday."His character puzzled her.The loving breath, the stern condemnation of whatever was not absolutely true, the disregard of what the world said, the hatred of shams, and most puzzling of all, the often apparent struggle with himself, the unceasing effort to conquer his chief fault.Yet this noble, honest, intellectual man was laboring under a great delusion, a delusion which somehow gave him an extraordinary power of loving! Ah, no! It could not be his Christianity, though, which made him loving, for were not most Christians hard and bitter and narrow-minded?

"I wish," she said, abruptly, "you would tell me what makes you willing to be friends with us.I know well enough that the 'Church Chronicle' has been punishing you for your defense of my father, and that there must be a thousand disagreeables to encounter in your own set just because you visit us.Why do you come?""Because I care for you very much."

"But you care, too, perhaps, for other people who will probably cut you for flying in the face of society and visiting social outcasts.""I don't think I can explain it to you yet, he replied."You would only tell me, as you told me once before, that I was talking riddles to you.When you have read your Greek Testament and really studied the life of Christ, I think you will understand.In the meantime, St.Paul, I think, answers your question better than Icould, but you wouldn't understand even his words, I fancy.There they are in the Greek" he opened a Testament and showed her a passage."I believe you would think the English almost as great gibberish as this looks to you in its unknown characters.""Do you advise every one to learn Greek?""No, many have neither time nor ability, and those who are not apt at languages would spend their time more usefully over good translations, I think.But you have time and brains, so I am very glad to teach you.""I am afraid I would much rather it were for any other purpose!"said Erica."I am somehow weary of the very name of Christianity.

I have heard wrangling over the Bible till I am tired to death of it, and discussions about the Atonement and the Incarnation, and the Resurrection, till the very words are hateful to me.I am afraid I shock you, but just put yourself in my place and imagine how you would feel.It is not even as if I had to debate the various questions; I have merely to sit and listen to a never-ending dispute.""You sadden me; but it is quite natural that you should be weary of such debates.I want you to realize, though, that in the stormy atmosphere of your father's lecture hall, in the din and strife of controversy, it is impossible that you should gain any true idea of Christ's real character.Put aside all thought of the dogmas you have been wearied with, and study the life of the Man."Then the lesson began.It proved a treat to both teacher and pupil.When Charles Osmond had left, Erica still worked on.

"I should like, at any rate, to spell out his riddle," she thought to herself, turning back to the passage he had shown her.And letter by letter, and word by word, she made out "For the love of Christ--"The verb baffled her, however, and she lay on the sofa, chafing at her helplessness till, at length, Tom happened to come in, and brought her the English Testament she needed.Ah! There it was!

"For the love of Christ constraineth us."Was THAT what had made him come? Why, that was the alleged reason for half the persecutions they met with! Did the love of Christ constrain Charles Osmond to be their friend, and at the same time constrain the clergy of X______ not many years before to incite the people to stone her father, and offer him every sort of insult?

Was it possible that the love of Christ constrained Mr.Osmond to endure contempt and censure on their behalf, and constrained Mr.

Randolph to hire a band of roughs to interrupt her father's speeches?

"He is a grand exception to the general rule," she said to herself.

"If there were many Christians like him, I should begin to think there must be something more in Christianity than we thought.

Well, if only to please him I must try to study the New Testament over again, and as thoroughly as I can.No, not to please him, though, but for the sake of being quite honest.I would much rather be working at that new book of Tyndall's."